Searching for T-violation in the decay k+ going to mu+ nu(mu) pi0

Abstract

This thesis describes a measurement of the T-violating transverse muon polarization [special characters omitted] in [special characters omitted] decay. Although the Standard Model prediction for [special characters omitted] is vanishingly small [special characters omitted] popular extensions to the Standard Model allow polarizations as high as a few percent. Data taken by experiment E246 at the KEK National Lab between May 1996 and February 1998 were analyzed, and a value of [special characters omitted] = 0.1 ± 4.9(stat) ± 1.0(syst) × 10⁻³ was measured. This measurement is consistent with Standard Model expectations, and can be converted into a limit on new effective scalar or pseudoscalar interaction terms in the Lagrangian: |[special characters omitted]| < 1.4 × 10⁻⁸ GeV ⁻² at the 90% confidence level.